Fredericksburg News & Info on your Kindle

Now get the area's hottest news delivered direct to your Amazon Kindle! FburgNews.com tries to bring together a diverse set of blogging content, and it is now available in more formats than ever.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029U2X8Q

Hopefully they will drop the price to make getting the local inside story more affordable.

Check out the Weekend Events 5/14/09

Whoever is editing the Free Lance-Star Weekender section today nailed it on content. Its almost all local for once, and gives important details like location, price and a bit of opinion on the events.

Check it out at http://www.fredericksburg.com

Let me give you the rundown of just the top name things.
Gin Blossoms at Celebrate VA Live (behind central park)
Big art show at Hurkamp park
Marine Corps Historic Half (although they didn't publish road closures. Look at my post yesterday for more details)
Hike along the river w/FOR
Performances by the Spotsylvanians (chorus)

And next weekend at Patriot Park in Spotsy you can catch a popular Charlottesville band Sweetbriar. Hedelt even had a great article in the region section about this band. We have always enjoyed getting to listed to them perform.

With the exception of these last two events, readers of this blog already were aware of these if you clicked the events tab. Check back ever week to see what has been added to 'Bryans Picks'.

Marine Corps Historic Half 2009

Runners visiting from out of town should search this website for the "Marine Corps Historic Half" tag. Read up tips on using 301 instead of I-95. Visitors should also utilize visitfred.com and fburgnews.com to find other interesting things happening in our town. For critical DAY-OF information, keep reading.

Parking: always a concern in cities. So this year a press release says it all - there are more options.

Organizers of the Marine Corps Historic Half marathon announced today transportation procedures for the May 17 event. Runners and spectators can benefit from free parking and complimentary shuttle service.

Ample parking spaces are within walking distance of the start line in the Central Park shopping center. Additionally, a free shuttle will transport runners from the commuter lot located off I-95 at exit 133B (at US-17 North towards Warrenton) to a drop-off point near the start line.

On race morning, spectators may also take advantage of a free shuttle between the Central Park shopping center and downtown Fredericksburg (at approximately miles 7-8 of the Historic Half course). The shuttle will run from Gordon Shelton Parkway to Hanover Street downtown.

On-course parking is available in the University of Mary Washington parking garage located off Jefferson Davis Highway (US-1), one block north of College Avenue. This parking area is located near mile 10 of the course.

From the Healthy Lifestyle Expo on Saturday, May 16, free shuttle service will offer runners and their guests easy access to downtown Fredericksburg. The shuttles run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. along much of the race course making stops at the Art Festival on the corner of William and Prince Edward Streets, in front of the Fredericksburg Visitor Center, on the corner of Caroline and Charlotte Streets and at Caroline and William Streets.

Traffic: A year of experience should help organizers do better this year than last.
Road Closures by time:
5:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Carl D Silver Parkway (CDSP) (all lanes) from Fall Hill Ave. to Expo & Conference Center
5:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Traffic control point at Fall Hill Avenue and CDSP.
6:50 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. Carl D Silver Parkway southbound from Expo & Conference Center to Cowan Boulevard.
6:50 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Cowan Boulevard (eastbound) from CDSP to Keeneland Road.
7:00 a.m. - 8:05 a.m. Woodland, Keeneland and Westwood Roads from Cowan Blvd to Route 3.
7:05 a.m. - 8:10 a.m. Route 3 (westbound lanes) from Westwood Rd to William Street.
7:10 a.m. - 8:55 a.m. William Street (westbound) from Blue/Gray Parkway to Sunken Road.
7:10 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. Sunken Road northbound from William Street to Fitzhugh Street.
7:15 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. Fitzhugh Street between Sunken Road and Franklin Street.
7:15 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. Franklin Street between Fitzhugh and Madison Streets.
7:15 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. Madison Street between Franklin Street and Littlepage Street.
7:15 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. Littlepage Street between Madison and Grove Avenue.
7:15 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. Grove between Littlepage and Kenmore Avenue.
7:20 a.m. - 8:50 a.m. Kenmore Avenue between Grove and William Street.
7:20 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. William Street between Kenmore Avenue and Washington Avenue.
7:20 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. Washington Avenue between William Street and Pelham Street.
7:20 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. Maury Street from Washington Avenue to Fall Hill Road.
7:20 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. Stuart Street from Washington Avenue to Fall Hill Road.
7:20 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. Pelham Street from Washington Avenue to Fall Hill Road.
7:25 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. Fall Hill Road/Canal Street from Pelham Street to Prince Edward Street.
7:25 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. Prince Edward Street from Canal Road to William Street.
7:25 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. William Street between Prince Edward Street to Princess Anne Street.
7:25 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. Princess Anne Street between William Street and Charlotte Street.
7:25 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. Charlotte Street between Princess Anne and Caroline Streets.
7:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. Caroline Street between Charlotte and Van Buren Streets.
7:35 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. Amelia Street between Caroline Street and Sophia Street.
7:35 a.m. - 9:55 a.m. Sophia Street between Amelia Street and Pitt Street.
7:35 a.m. - 9:55 a.m. Riverside Drive from Woodford Street to Fall Hill Avenue.
7:35 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Fall Hill from Riverside Drive to US Route 1.
7:40 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. US Route 1 (southbound) from Fall Hill to Mary Washington Boulevard.
7:40 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. Mary Washington Boulevard from Route 1 to Hospital Drive.
7:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Hospital Drive from Mary Washington Boulevard to Cowan Boulevard
7:20 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. Cowan Boulevard (westbound) from Hospital Drive to CDSP.
7:20 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CDSP northbound from Cowan Boulevard to Fall Hill Avenue.

And just for completeness, here are a few links of importance:
Marine Corps Historic Half website
Course Map
Course Description

CV Live kicks off TONIGHT!

Celebrate Virginia Live gets going tonight behind Central Park in Fredericksburg VA. This open air concert series is going to bring some well known talent to the area.

5/1- The Wailers
5/8- Keller Williams
5/15- Gin Blossoms and TONIC
5/22- Toad The Wet Sprocket/Eddie From Ohio
5/29- Little Feat
6/5- Dark Star Orchestra
6/12- TBA
6/19- ZOSO

Mayfest

Are you even thinking about a garden this year? How about a few potted plants. May 2nd is Mayfest at racsb. Please consider dropping by to buy a plant or two at great prices to help this worthy community organization and their adult activities center.

http://www.racsb.state.va.us/mayfest.htm

750 Kings Highway is about 3 miles East of town on Route 3.

Get out more 5/1/09

This morning I was standing in Mocha Mo's (the best latte in town) and overheard a great bit of news. University Cafe (William ST) is opening up tonight. The coffee bar and lounge is billed as an all day location. I expect them to have a great variety of music and become yet another great stop in downtown.

William Street is becoming Fredericksburg's restaurant row. If you go to the cafe and aren't fitting in with the college crowd, just walk across the street to Kybecca for a change of pace. If you want an exotic beer experience, turn the corner on Caroline for Capital Ale. Want to do dinner beforehand, hit up one of the many eateries (Bistro and Poppy Hill come to mind).